Take Five: World markets themes for the week ahead

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LONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Following are five big themes likely to dominate thinking of investors and traders in the coming week and the Reuters stories related to them.

1/ NEVER ENDING STORY

Another week, another record high for stocks and another record low for volatility. This week, Germany’s DAX hit a record high, the S&P 500 hit its 42nd record high of the year and the MSCI World index its 47th record peak of the year. Market volatility, meanwhile, simply refuses to rise - the VIX ‘fear index’ has opened what is historically the most perilous month for stocks within a whisker of its lowest level on record. What gives? Market expectations of another Fed rate hike by the end of the year soared to 90 percent this week, Spain is in political crisis, U.S.-North Korea tensions are ratcheting up, and yet ... markets don’t care one jot. If history is any guide though, research by Renaissance Capital shows that nine of the top 20 daily percentage declines in the Dow Jones since 1896 have come in October. That’s by some distance more than any other month (the next is September, with three).

* S&P 500 sets 6th record high close on tax overhaul optimism

* Reuters poll on global stock markets: end-2017, 2018

2/ POUND MAY BE TESTED

British Prime Minister Theresa May’s vow to stay on in the face of plots to unseat her gave a brief lift to sterling, which nonetheless remained on track for its worst week against the dollar in a year and on a trade-weighted basis. Political uncertainty has also cast a shadow over a much telegraphed interest rate increase by the Bank of England. Speculation rates would go up pushed six-month interest rate swaps to their highest since last June’s Brexit vote on the view that a stronger pound would combat rising inflation. Political jitters couldn’t have come at a worse time for hedge funds who had finally turned positive on sterling in the last quarter of 2017. If the uncertainty grows, sterling may test the 2017 lows below $1.20 in the coming days.

* Sterling bounces as PM May says will provide “calm leadership”

* British PM May vows to stay as party plotters attempt to topple her

3/ STRAIN IN SPAIN

Is Spain’s worst political crisis easing? After Spain apologised on Friday for a violent crackdown on Catalonia’s independence referendum, a Catalan parliament spokesman said the region’s pro-independence leader would address lawmakers on Tuesday on the “political situation”. This appeared to be at odds with a earlier plan to move an independence motion on Monday. The change of tone led to a narrowing of Spain’s bond yield premium over German benchmarks and Spanish stocks pared losses. The stakes here remain high. Even some sort of compromise with Madrid, possibly a devolution of tax powers, would blow a hole in the central government’s budget. Other concerns are the impact the uncertainty could have on Catalonia’s finances and inward investment. Spain’s government is planning to make it easier for firms to transfer their legal base out of Catalonia, as some Catalan banks have already intimated they will do. The violence that marred the vote could also come back to bite Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who leads a minority government. Some analysts are already predicting opposition parties may try to use the turmoil to push for new elections in the euro zone’s fourth biggest economy.

* Spain bonds slide again as Catalonia strikes defiant note

* Spain apologises, tone softens in Catalonia independence crisis

4/ RISKY VOTE?

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had possibly thought his call on Sept. 25 for a snap parliamentary election would be a slam dunk vindication of his rising approval ratings. Instead, the emergence of the Party of Hope led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike has fragmented the opposition, upset the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s calculations, and raised the possibility that the Japanese election could shock investors just as much as other major political events in the past year or so, such as the UK’s Brexit vote, the U.S. presidential election, the French and recent elections in Germany. The rising uncertainty has not so far affected Japanese markets. They are still hoping Abe’s ruling coalition will retain its majority. Also, Abe and Koike also have a lot in common, including a populist streak. Only some economic policies are different, such as Koike’s proposal to delay the sales-tax hike, tax companies’ cash piles and her call to hunt for the exit to the Bank of Japan’s stimulus, while still maintaining it. Although Koike has said she isn’t running for a seat in this election, investors will know that for sure only in the coming and that might make this election far more risky and volatile for investors.

* FACTBOX-Key points from policy platform of Tokyo Koike’s new party –

* Japan calls snap election as new party roils outlook –

5/ HARSH CLIMATE

What Mother Nature took away, Mother Nature might give back. The impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma pushed U.S. employment down in September for the first time in seven years. Harvey also pulled U.S. retail sales lower in August. The storm caused industrial production to suffer its biggest drop since 2009. However in a prelude to September’s data, due Oct. 13, major automakers reported on Oct. 3 the seasonally adjusted annualised rate of new U.S. car and light truck sales in September rose to 18.57 units, according to Autodata Corp. Consumers in hurricane-hit parts of the country replaced flood-damaged cars, with replacements seen lifting new and used auto sales at least through November.

* Hurricane recovery helps boost U.S. September new auto sales

* Hurricane Harvey slams U.S. retail sales, industrial output

* Hurricanes Harvey, Irma sink U.S. payrolls in September [

Reporting by Vidya Ranganathan and Gustavo Cabrera in
Singapore, Dan Bases in New York, Jamie McGeever, Saikat
Chatterjee and John Geddie in London; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt